Tuesday, June 30, 2015

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This embroidered dress is one of my favorites of the summer. It's beyond comfortable for those scorching hot days and compliments a tan well!

I wore this for an afternoon downtown a few weeks ago and have been wearing this dress non stop. It also looks really cute with wedges and a straw clutch for a dressier look, but my preference is wearing it very casual like in the photos above.

One of the major selling points of this dress is that I can machine wash it and quickly run an iron over it and it's good to go... because let's be honest, machine washable is important to me when I wear white.

And as always, I'm rocking my Jacks. This pair has about had it as I've almost worn through the soles, but I've had a good run in these sandals. It's time to make some new adventures in a new pair. I have so many pairs of Jacks, but if you are a first timer, I fully suggest the gold. They're slightly dressier than the colored sandals and they match absolutely everything! Have a fabulous day!

7pm starts the VIP event, which is $85 and includes lots of delicious food and drinks! However, starting at 9pm, the main event begins. Tickets for the main event are only $25 for those under 30 (must show valid ID) and then $40 for anyone over 30. I also have a coupon code for anyone that would like to attend. Use code ASTOUNDING for $5 off your ticket! You can learn more about the event and buy tickets, here. It is going to be such a fun event and I hope to see you there!

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This striped shirt is one of my absolute favorites. I have so many navy and white striped tops, but didn't have a single black and white striped version. I had been hunting but had been having a hard time finding one I love. I finally came across this top and at under $55, I was sold. It's a thicker cotton, almost sweater-like material so it's pretty much seasonless.

I really wanted it to wear with black skinnies, but as I was browsing, I came across this gorgeous chiffon skirt that I thought would pair perfectly with the top for summer! The top and skirt make a gorgeous outfit that totals out to be less than $100! That's a major win in my book, especially because the quality is superb!

This skirt would also look so cute when paired with a tied up oxford cloth shirt or a cashmere sweater. My sister saw it and also thought it'd be great to pair with Jack Purcells and a polo shirt for a casual look. The options are really endless, but the way this skirt lays is quite elegant in my book!

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Shop more of my favorites that are on sale by scrolling above. Most are under $100, too! Have a fabulous day!

Friday, June 26, 2015

The ladies at the new Tory Burch at Ross Park Mall in Pittsburgh invited me to shop the store last week. It was so much fun to see the gorgeous new store. I've been to many a Tory store, and even the flagship in Manhattan and honestly, this is one of the nicest I've been in!

It was so fun to shop with champagne in hand and snack on the greatest cake ever made (seriously). The girls were so welcoming and beyond nice. Not to mention, they were so knowledgeable about all of the pieces and the Tory Burch company history.

While there, I tried on a few pieces of their clothing, but I tried on all. the. shoes. I fell in love with every single pair. Beware, this store is dangerous. It's easy to 'browse' while online, but I feel like it's harder to resist in store, because you fall in love when you feel the product and try it on... am I right?

I really love how TB is moving away from her 'medallion' logo and even the 'T'. In my opinion, I think the logo has become too 'flashy'/ overdone in a lot of her stuff in the past years and the market has become over saturated... but I love love love the new simple gold 'Tory Burch' embossed in gold in place of any other logo. It's discreet and simple. This bag even reminds me a lot of a Mansur Gavriel tote. Love. Here are some of my favorites right now... some even on sale... and for fall? These shoes are everything.

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Oh... and don't even get me started on the Spongeware and Dodie Thayer collection. I'm so in love, I'm actually considering paying the ridiculous price for the mug set... hmmm... Are you a Tory Burch fan? If you are in Pittsburgh, I highly suggest checking it out. It's absolutely gorgeous! Have a fabulous day!

Thursday, June 25, 2015

I think I hit the Little Black Dress (LBD) jackpot with this one. It was originally almost $300 and is now under $85... that's a win in my book! It's a great option for work but also can be dressed up for more formal events like cocktail parties. It is cotton, but a quality, thicker wave making it appropriate for almost all seasons, too!

If you've been reading this blog even for just a few days, then you probably know that a LBD and pearls is one of my go-to ensembles. It's simple, classic and comfortable. It also works in a lot of settings from work to cocktail parties to weddings and even funerals.... it's the do-it-all of clothing. I am really picky about my little black dresses, but the cut of this one and the quality made it a no brainer for me! Have a fabulous day!

Today is part II of yesterday's post about my weekend in NYC/Hamptons! Warning: This is a text and photo heavy post!

I had an early flight Friday morning out of PIT to LGA. Pittsburgh airport is pretty dated and it's slim pickings when it comes to your choice of airlines, but I am always pleased when I fly Delta. I've had bad experiences on American Airlines lately, so it's always refreshing to fly with Delta even on the quickest (45 mins) of trips to Manhattan.

As much flack I give to Pittsburgh airport, I will say they are making an effort to improve. The lack of decent coffee in the airport always drove me nuts (oh the horror... I kid, I kid), but they just put in a new place called Bottega dei Sapori which is a cute little Italian market. It's overpriced but it has great coffee, espresso, pastries, chocolates, lots of sparkling water choices and even bellinis to-go. I honestly look forward to stopping in every time I am at the airport.

As soon as I landed, I met Krista at Chelsea Market and she gave me a tour of the MLB offices. It was such a cool experience and really cool offices. Then, I had some time to kill, so I took the long way via the Highline (it was sooooo hot) and headed to Maison Kayser in the Flatiron area.

Maison Kayser is my absolute favorite and I always make a point to stop there at the very least for a caffe au lait. I've been to every location in Manhatan, except for the UWS location. My favorite is Columbus Circle as flatiron is a little small ... however, flatiron does offer outdoor seating with an awesome view of the Empire State Building.

This time I sat inside (hello, air conditioning) and got some work done while I ate. Normally I go for the Salmon or Nutella tartine (so so delicious), but this time I decided I would mix it up and went with the Club Saumon. I'd recommend skipping it. It was good, but the bread really overpowered and not in a good way.

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After lunch, I didn't really have too much time to go all over the city, so I booked it straight to Club Monaco. It's the retailer's flagship store and it's pretty spectacular. Between the spacious, beautifully appointed store, to the beyond amazing customer service, the Strand bookstore and Toby's Estate Coffee, you could really spend all day just in CM .

I really love CM in general. It's one of my favorites for all seasons and always has something I like. I buy a lot of their cashmere pieces (like this one) and also find their shoes to be excellent quality.

If you're not familiar with the brand, it's a Canadian brand and was bought by Ralph Lauren in the late 90's. It was started by Alfred Sung (bridesmaid dresses, anyone?) and the guy that started Joe Fresh, too. I'm not too sure how much RL inlfuences the brand, but I always describe it to people as the chic, city version of Ralph Lauren. A lot of the pieces are neutrals... you will almost never see bright colors and some styles are trendy, but a lot are basic, classic and high quality. As for sizing, most pieces run true to size, I'm usually a 2 or small in most everything.

I remember when I was in middle school in the early 2000's, I got my first ever piece from Club Monaco and I thought it was the coolest thing ever. They had a great sale going on, so I picked up this top and then I had to splurge on this one!

Cadillac generously loaned us a gorgeous car for the weekend... pretty awesome, right? I went to meet the driver who dropped it off, charged my phone a little and checked out the amazing car. My Grammie actually has a super similar Cadillac (except with 4 doors) so I was somewhat familiar with the car, but really got to love it over the weekend!

Since Saturday was the Country Club Prep event, we woke up early on Sunday and had a jam packed day! It started out overcast but turned out to be a gorgeous day!

We started the morning at the Golden Pear. It's a Hamptons staple with great pastries... grabbing stuff for a picnic here is always a good idea, too.

And we went to Lunch which is literally on the side of Montauk highway on the way to MTK, in Amagansett. It is SO. GOOD. Sorry, all caps were necessary.

Then we headed to the beach. We didn't put on our suits, but just strolled along!

Then it was time for me to head out, but not before I had one last meal as I waited for my flight. It was most definitely a marathon food weekend! I've flown back and forth from New York and Pittsburgh a million times ever since I was a child and I have never flown directly over Manhattan nor have I ever flown directly over Pittsburgh. I wish it was daylight, but it was SO cool to fly right over Manhattan and Pittsburgh. You're so low that even in the dark, you can make out a lot... truly incredible!

And last but not least, Jack Rogers makes custom Hamptons sandals that are only sold in the Hamptons at Country Club Prep! We each got a pair (I chose pink)! Well, head over to Instagram to enter to win a pair! Have a fabulous day!

Tuesday, June 23, 2015

If you follow me on Instagram or snapchat (SummerWind41490), then you know I popped up to Manhattan and then to the Hamptons for a long weekend! Country Club Prep, an amazing boutique/online boutique hosted a really fun afternoon at their Southampton house! They have boutiques all over, but just opened the cutest pop up shop for the summer in Southampton where the Dash store was last year!

It was, unfortunately, a little overcast and rained briefly in the afternoon, but the vibrant colors of the party (and delicious cocktails) kept us going! It was such a lovely afternoon and we were certainly spoiled with the most adorable clothing. Our bags were filled with items from brands like Mahi Gold, Jack Rogers, Sail to Sable, Southern Proper and more!

We all tried on some of our things while we snacked and sipped and snapped photos...of course everyone wanted a pic with the swan... who knew a pool float could be 'trendy'? Yeah, me neither! Amanda of CCPrep really outdid herself with this fun event and I feel so lucky to have been able to attend!